


The White Lion

by Dragonetgirl



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, Non cannon - Freeform, Pre-Season/Series 07, shiro gets a lion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-03-09 14:15:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18918682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragonetgirl/pseuds/Dragonetgirl
Summary: Shiro after having his conciseness returned from the black lion and losing his link, struggles to find a way to fit in with the burden of being a paladin without a lion. Until he is given a possible second chance.





	The White Lion

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this well before season 7 was out. As such I had no idea about the fact that they were several years lost in space, or anything about Atlas being built or even Haggars utter brainwash and kidnapping of the other Alteans. I just wanted Shiro to find his place with the others and do what he loved. The art i drew was very rushed (and shaky as i was still full of emotions after writing the fic) but it was an attempt to see what a new lion for Shiro might look like.  
> This writing is a few years old now, but i still wanted to post it as after I saw some fanart the other day and it jogged my memory that I had this written.

Shiro watched from an observation deck as the earth's newest defender was worked on. Far below him hundreds of tiny little people scurried about like ants. Alteans from the colony with a knack for alchemy and a few Olkari, had offered to help on the project when it was proposed by Allura.

To build a new defender lion.

The concept was simple on paper but proved to be much harder to realize than any of them could have imagined. Months had passed before a breakthrough was made, part of the meteorite that Lotor had stolen was recovered from a hidden base, and even then, it took the combined efforts of the three races to work on it. Alluras input was invaluable, but her paladin duties had often meant she was away for long periods of time.

Shiro looked at the robot. It was huge, though, slightly smaller than the black lion it was far sleeker in shape. The folded wings on its back melded into the silvery white surface of its skin.

The project was supposedly completed, but there was something missing. That spark that Voltron carried. Making it, for lack of a better word, alive.

Allura joined Shiro at the window, “we have come such a long way Shiro, I never would have believed I would follow my father's footsteps so closely”  
“I’m sure if he was here now, he would be proud of what you have achieved” Shiro said softly with a smile.

Allura beamed then returned to a serious expression. “We have word that Sendak has a amassed a large fleet and there is indications that he will strike earth first. This new lion will even the odds far more in our favor. Though I do not know if we can complete it in time.” Allura sighed, “i may have the same knowledge of the oriand as my father did but my inexperience in these things…” she waved a hand indicating the dark eyed lion before them “has hindered our efforts.

Many long nights had been spent pouring over schematics and alchemy notes with earth's lead scientists, but all lead to dead ends. No one knew how Voltron possessed the ability to think for itself as it had shown, or what had given it that strange power. Some suspected that as Voltron and its 5 lion counterparts had been created from the same single rock, they shared a collective conscience and link. This new white lion, however, was only a fragment of a greater whole. The rest had been lost with Lotor in the quintessence realm.

“We will be moving the lion to an outdoor location soon, it will give the Olkari a chance to work with some of earth's plant life” Allura was quite for a few moments, “Shiro I know you have declined the offer, but I still feel you would be suited to be this one’s pilot”  
Shiro turned away from her pleading look. “You brought me back to life Allura, I can never repay that, but I also was removed from the black lion, any connection I had was lost. I can no longer be its paladin, nor any others.” he said the last part with a hint of bitterness. His life as a paladin had been rewarding and fulfilling right up to his last moments fighting Zarkon, and even his clones memories had been filled with the joy of helping others. the connection and bond with the black lion tied them all together. But now, he no longer felt that connection, and the emptiness it left was still tangible.

Allura didn't try to press the matter, she could see how the retired black lion paladin still ached over the loss, and knew he needed more time to heal still. Time that was slowly running out.

\---

Several days later the lion had been moved to an old military base. it sat slumped on its side in the sunlight, It’s pearly white surface strangely dull in the harsh desert sun.  
The Olkari could find nothing wrong with it, structurally it was sound, and the Alteans with their affinity to quintessence could detect no trace of the life-giving energy that flowed through Voltron. Even Allura had not been able to find that connection she shared with the other lions within it.

The humans called it an empty white elephant husk and argued why they had spent their precious resources on a failed alien project, when they could have been building defenses around earth. News of Sendak's impending attack had spread quickly. Allura and the others had been called away to defend planets in the far-flung regions of the galaxy, each time they received news it was only of the slow inevitable creep closing in on earth.

The lion was left, covered in old tarps and efforts were diverted to more pressing projects that had definite defense outcomes, and the lion lay forgotten by most.

Except Shiro.

When word arrived that Sendak's fleet had been sighted near the Sol system, pandemonium broke out the garrison. People running this way and that, screaming orders at others who stayed still in one place too long. Due to Sam Holts return, and the help of the other alien races, improvements had been made to garrison ships and they were now able to travel at speeds and distances once only possible in fiction. Now they had the means to prepare for a fight.

\--

While preparations were underway Shiro slipped away unnoticed. His missing arm made him of little use for most things. He found a spot in the shade of the lions tilted head to wait until needed.  
He had been coming to that spot more regularly, not many people bothered to visit the lion, a reminder of months of wasted effort and resources. He had found some comfort in the ironic similarity they shared. Both once important, now cast by the wayside.

A loud boom echoed over the busy base, looking up he spotted the flying v formation of the 5 lions, they glided down and landed in a cleared field nearby. The sight of then brought a painful pang of longing, which Shiro swallowed down. Their fight was no longer his. He would do what he could on earth to help, as minimal as it was. However, he should greet his friends.

Pulling himself up, using the lion's jaw as an anchor he made his way over to the paladins.  
The smallest one spotted his approach first.  
“Shiro!” Pidge broke away from the others and ran to him, giving the man a tight hug round the middle. Despite time passing and their life in space, Pidge had not grown taller.  
“Hey man good to see you!” Lance gave Shiro a friendly wave as he joined them with Hunk in tow. Keith gave Shiro a warm smile and pulled him into a hug.

While the other paladins chatted and laughed about their recent adventures to Shiro, Allura hung back, her eyes drawn to the discarded white lion slumped across the old runway.

Once everyone had greeted Shiro and several stories told there was a lull in the conversation, and Shiro spoke up “It’s great seeing you all again but why are you back so soon? Last I saw you guys, you were heading to the outer quadrants to try and gather support in the fight against Sendak”.  
“We did Shiro, and we got some help, but they won't be here in enough time. We heard that Sendak's scouts had been spotted near the Sol system and headed back as fast we could but…” Lance trailed off and shot a glance at Keith, who finished off the conversation.  
“Sendak is already in the system, we passed his ships on the way here”  
Pidge piped up “i planted a little virus that should keep them busy for a few days, but it will only slow them down a little” she chewed her lip looking worried.

Shiro patted her messy head, “slowing them down will help everyone here, and give time for reinforcements to arrive” Pidge gave a small smile then waved his hand away flustered at the praise. “Keith does the garrison know about Sendak's approach?”  
Keith nodded “we sent a message ahead and they got it about an hour ago, preparation is already underway.”  
Shiro felt a little ashamed he had not known this. His need for solitude had hindered his ability to offer any support.  
They began to move towards the garrison’s head office, where no doubt, Iverson and Sam Holt would be in a heated argument over the most effective use of their resources.

Allura held Shiro back as they walked “Shiro I know the last time we parted I had expressed a wish that you may piolet the white lion when you were still recovering from the loss of the bond between you and the black lion, I should not have pressed you as I did.”  
“Allura its fine, and besides it’s not like I’m missing anything out” Shiro glanced over his shoulder at the lion. The sun glinted off the polished metal, but the eyes remained vacant and dead.

“I know the garrison feel the white lion to be a failed endeavor, but “ and Allura drew herself up to her full height “i have not given up on the lion, I intend to find a solution.” then she added in a more somber tone, “before It's too late”.

“Are things looking that bad?” asked Shiro, troubled.  
Allura gave a small nod. “Pidges virus may have only stalled them briefly, but Sendak's fleet far outweighs what we have gone up against before. I did not even know that the Galra possessed that number of fleets.”  
“Sendak has been busy” muttered Shiro grimly.  
“It seems so” said Allura and they joined the others in the garrison headquarters.

\----

Shiro was starting to develop a headache, the garrison officials and the paladins just could not agree on the best strategy. The argument had been going on for nearly two days already.

Just when a fresh round of yelling and arm waving started a white-faced officer banged the door open diverting their attention. Sendak's fleet was on the move again, and a scout ship had been spotted a few minutes away from earth, closing fast.

The paladins abruptly left the speechless garrison officials and ran for their lions. Shiro ran with them, caught up in the excitement before he remembered he was no longer part of the team. He skidded to a stop behind them as they blocked the doorway outside. Peering over their heads Shiro’s eyes widened.

The five lions of Voltron had moved, now arranged in a loose circle around the stationary white lion.  
“Allura what's happening” demanded Keith  
“I do not know” whispered Allura.

They approached the lions cautiously amidst the panic as people ran about preparing for the fight soon to take place.

Allura placed a hand on the blue lion and concentrated for a moment, suddenly her eyes snapped open, pale blue lights softly glowed around her iris. She blinked and it vanished.

“I have an idea, everyone get into your lions, Shiro you stay right here.” Allura ran up the waiting open mouth of her lion and the others quickly followed suit, leaving Shiro alone with the white lion.

Five sets of eyes flashed yellow as the lions powered up. Allura spoke through the shared comm link to everyone, including Shiro.  
“everyone I need you all to concentrate. Feel the bond with you have with your lions. And focus that feeling on the white lion before us. We need to remind it of who it once was before it was broken from the whole.”

The five lions bowed their heads in turn towards the white lion and blue aura of quintessence bloomed into existence around them. Ghostly tendrils of energy drifted over the white lion, enveloping it in a soft glowing cocoon. Shiro stood back as the energy pulsed once, twice, then vanished. The lions around him lifted their heads in silence.  
“Did it work?” came Hunks query through the comm.  
“I'm not…” Allura’s reply was cut off by four lions lifting their heads and roaring skywards. The fifth lion, the black lion, lowered its head, staring Shiro down. Inside Shiro could imagine Keith seeing him through the lion’s eyes.  
The black lion opened its mouth and bellowed.

Shiro felt the earth tremble under his feet at the sound and felt a slight tug in the corner of his consciousness. He turned to stare at the white lion, and its eyes flashed awake.

The white lion climbed to its feet and lifted its head to join the others in their call.

Shiro didn’t turn and run when it lowered its chin to the floor and opened its mouth inviting him aboard.  
Stepping inside the lion’s cockpit he felt a strange sense of de ja vu it, was almost identical to the black lions, only pearly/silvery white. Sitting in the chair the console hummed to life as screens flickered into existence.

He heard the lion growl in his head and felt that connection he once thought lost return.

“Im back” he whispered. They were both whole again.


End file.
